


Please Look At Me

by SnowQueenOfMyHeart



Series: Casselsa Collection [2]
Category: Frozen (2013), Tangled: The Series (Cartoon)
Genre: Ace Lesbians, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Asexual Relationship, Cassandra is the support she needs when Anna can't be there, Casselsa, Elsa has a nightmare, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Gay Elsa, Give Elsa A Girlfriend, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Sapphic Aces, Trust, lesbian cassandra
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-04
Updated: 2018-11-04
Packaged: 2019-08-17 10:48:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16514903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnowQueenOfMyHeart/pseuds/SnowQueenOfMyHeart





	Please Look At Me

Elsa was tired after a long day at work.  Dealing with politicians had been draining, and it did not help that she was in a big city far away from the one person she loved more than anything in the world: her sister.  But she had brought along her friend and closest advisor, whom she counted on to support her through the tough negotiations.

That night, as they returned to their hotel suite, Elsa told Cassandra that she needed to retire early and get some rest.  Cassandra understood and made herself comfortable in the adjoining bedroom.  She had come to admire the Snow Queen for many reasons:  her intellect, her charm, her friendliness, and her breathtaking beauty.  Yet Cassandra had kept her emotions in check for the sake of the queen, afraid that saying too much might scare Elsa.

For her part, Elsa did admire Cassandra in a rather similar manner, but she had also withheld her feelings because she did not know how to properly express them.  Not to mention, she had a lot of things to worry about these days, and the feelings she had for Cassandra remained a lesser priority.

That was about to change.

* * *

 

As Cassandra was getting ready to sleep, she heard a noise that put her on alert.  It sounded like Elsa was whimpering.  Throwing the sheets off her bed, Cassandra raced out of the room and tried to enter Elsa’s room, only to find the door locked.  Then she realized there was a thin layer of ice coating the door handle.

“Elsa?  Are you okay?”

She waited.  No response.

“Elsa!  Open the door!”

No reply.  The door remained locked.

Then she heard it.  A hoarse shout.

“No!  Please, don’t!  Stay away!”

Cassandra backed up, braced herself, and charged at the door.  It broke open, bruising her shoulder in the process.  She heard wood splintering combined with the cracking of ice.  As she pushed the door aside, she stopped just inside the room to take it the sight before her.

The room was coated in ice, with icicles protruding from the floor, the walls, and the ceiling.  It was bitterly cold, and some of the ice was glowing in menacing shades of purple and red.  Cassandra immediately regretted coming over in just her underwear, but any concerns about her own discomfort were quickly banished when she saw the bed.  Or, who was in that bed.

Elsa was thrashing about in the sheets, evidently in the throes of some horrible nightmare.  She was muttering incoherently between sobs.  Cassandra was frozen to the spot, not sure what to do.  She had heard about Elsa’s nightmares from Anna who had warned her that this kind of thing might happen.  Unfortunately, Cassandra did not have much experience in the nightmare department.  She was torn between saying something loudly and running directly to Elsa and shaking her awake.

Then Elsa screamed, “ANNA!”

Cassandra moved forward a few steps.

Suddenly, Elsa let out an ungodly shriek as her eyes flew open and she shot upright.

Whatever hesitation remained in Cassandra’s mind vanished the moment Elsa nearly gave her a heart attack.  She ran and jumped on the bed, enveloping the still-screaming Elsa in a bear hug.

“Elsa!  Wake up!  It’s okay!  You’re okay!  Please, everything’s fine!” Cassandra implored as she tightened her grip on the violently shaking woman.

Elsa’s yells subsided and were replaced with ragged breaths punctuated by sobs.  Her wide eyes had been shining with tears, which were now coursing down her pale cheeks.  She did not yet recognize who was holding her so close, the nightmare still fresh in her mind.

“It’s okay, Elsa.  It’s okay.  Anna’s fine,” Cassandra repeated in what she desperately hoped was a soothing voice.  To be honest, it pained her heart to see Elsa like this.  She had known a confident, composed, regal woman for quite some time.  She had fallen in love - though she hated to admit it - with a graceful, elegant queen.  And now, that same woman was struggling to breathe evenly, practically choking on her owns sobs.  Her hair was disheveled, her cheeks damp with tears.  Elsa slowly lifted her face as it dawned on her that someone was present in the room with her, hugging her.  She hoped it was Anna, prayed it was her beloved sister.  When she saw Cassandra’s worried expression, Elsa panicked and tried to back away.

“No!  No!  You have to leave!  Please!  It’s not safe!”

But Cassandra did not give up easily, much like Anna ironically enough.  “I’m not going anywhere,” she retorted.

Elsa struggled to break free, but she was in no state to break out of Cassandra’s powerful grip.  Anna may have been a very good hugger, but Cassandra was definitely the stronger one.

“Please leave!  It’s dangerous!”

“Elsa, tell me what’s wrong.”

“Nothing!  Just leave me!”

“Damn it, Elsa!  I’m not leaving you!”

“You will when you find out I’m a monster!”

Cassandra froze.  Elsa stopped struggling as she realized what she just said.  The temperature, which had been dropping steadily, now plunged as an icy wind started swirling around the room.

Though her fingers and toes were going numb from the frigid conditions, Cassandra reached out and brought Elsa flat against her, burying her face into platinum blonde hair.

“You’re not a monster, Elsa.”

“How do you know what I am?”

If you are a monster, then why did your sister die for you?”

The question was rather blunt, but that was Cassandra.  She cut straight to the heart of the matter.  Anna did not die to save a monster; she died to save Elsa, her big sister and only family she had left.  The only person Elsa truly loved, and Anna had felt the same.  Cassandra knew that because Elsa had told her months before.  Anna had confirmed it.

As Elsa processed this, the wind died and the ice changed color to a neutral blue.  She started sobbing again, only this time her arms wrapped around Cassandra’s waist and her hands clung to her back.  Cassandra was positive she could feel Elsa’s fingers digging into her skin, but she did not care.  She knew Elsa needed this; she had to be strong for her friend.  This woman she had come to love.

“I’m sorry,” Elsa whimpered with a slight hiccup.  “I’m s-sorry…”

“Don’t be,” Cassandra murmured gently, rubbing Elsa’s pale back in calming circles.  “It’s okay.”

As Cassandra continued rubbing, she realized something.  Her hand was touching bare skin.  No fabric at all.  As if…

With a slight jolt of shock, Cassandra quickly leaned back, bringing her hands to Elsa’s shoulders.  Her eyes widened as her suspicion was confirmed.

“You’re…you’re…” she stammered as she tried to articulate her thoughts.  “You’re…naked!”

The word hit Elsa like a giant snowball.  Glancing down, she seemed to notice for the first time that she was, indeed, completely naked.  Blushing furiously, she grabbed the sheet and pulled it over her front in a vain attempt to recover some modesty.  Cassandra sat back as Elsa buried her face in one hand.

“I’m sorry you *hic* you had to see me *hic* like this,” Elsa muttered behind her hand.

“Well,” Cassandra began slowly as she processed everything that had just happened, “in the grand scheme of things, you being naked is the least of our concerns.”

Elsa lowered her hand to stare into Cassandra’s eyes.  There were still some tears in the corners of her sapphire blue eyes.

“Elsa, did you have a nightmare?”

The color drained from Elsa’s face at those words.

“Look,” Cassandra said quickly, extending a placating hand, “I heard you yelling and came to check on you.  The door was frozen shut and when I got in there was ice everywhere.  You need to tell me what happened.”

Elsa looked around the room, feeling ashamed for having lost control.  Again.

“It happened.”

“What?” Cassandra was confused.

“The winter.  The accident.  The fjord.  What does it matter?” Elsa said, starting to become hysterical as she continued.  “I’m dangerous!  I’m the queen of ice and snow!  All I do is bring destruction and hurt people.  Mama and Papa tried to keep my secret hidden, but they failed.”  She paused.  “I failed.”

“Elsa-”

“I killed Anna!” Elsa cried, the tears flowing again.  “I killed *sob* my own sister!  What *sob* what kind of person *sob* does that?  I’m *sob* a monster!  *sob* That’s all *sob* I am!”

Cassandra had no idea what to say.  How could she say anything after hearing such words from a broken, scared young woman?  What could she possibly say to ease the pain of thirteen years of heartache and self-loathing?

“And you know what?  It doesn’t stop there,” Elsa continued once she somehow found a pause in her sobbing.  “Everyone still fears me, just because of my powers.  They hate me, I know.  Or they just look at me like I’m some toy they can mess with.  Just another pretty face.”  She let out a bitter laugh.  “Yeah, just another fuck toy for all those pompous men.  As if years of royal training and education were for nothing.”

Something stirred deep within Cassandra at these particular words.  She held her tongue, though, because she knew Elsa was not done.

“So, here I am.  Crying my eyes out, naked and scared in a room far from home.  No Anna to comfort me.  No promise that I will succeed in my negotiations.  No guarantee that guys will not try to hit on me, no matter how many times I have to rebuff them.  Everyone expects me to take a suitor or a lover.  Nobody bothers to ask me what I want!  I’m a fucking queen!  Why can’t I get a say in what I want with my body?!”

Now, Cassandra was really fighting to keep quiet.  She badly wanted to tell Elsa how she was more than the ridiculous caricatures of stupid, egotistical, perverted men.  She even wanted to say what she felt about the queen.  But there was still more.

“Doesn’t matter, I guess,” Elsa sighed in defeat.  “Who could love a monster like me?”

Cassandra couldn’t take it anymore.

“Anna does.”

Elsa did not look up.

“Your sister loves you more than anything, and you know it,” Cassandra said resolutely.  “And you are not a monster.”

Silence.

“Elsa.”

She did not move.

“Elsa, please look at me.”

Elsa did not respond.

An idea popped into Cassandra’s head.  Sure, it was crazy, but she needed crazy right now to get through to this miserable woman.  She reached out and grabbed Elsa’s free hand.  Elsa gasped and tried to yank it away, but Cassandra tightened her grip and pulled it toward her.  She pressed the pale hand flat against her skin, right over her heart and held it there.

For several long, excruciating moments, neither of them moved.  Elsa was paralyzed with shock, staring at the hand that was held captive against Cassandra’s exposed skin.  Cassandra stared right back, watching for any reaction in Elsa’s scared face.

Finally, Cassandra spoke.

“I know how much you hate your hands.  To you, they are the vehicle for your magic, the tools which bring chaos and destruction.  They also bring joy and happiness, but you have forgotten that.  I know that you have feared simple physical contact with anyone because you believed that your powers would hurt them even at the slightest touch.  I know you kept your distance from Anna for that very reason.  Yes, she told me.  She also told me that you are only dangerous when you are angry, scared, or stressed.  Now, does that make you a monster?”

Elsa contemplated all of this, then answered slowly, “No…but I could still hurt you…”

Cassandra concurred.  “Yes, you can.  You could freeze my heart right now, if you wanted.  It would be so easy.  But you won’t.”

Elsa looked up, surprised at the firmness in Cassandra’s voice.

“Do you know how I know this?”

Elsa shook her head.

“Because I know that deep down inside, beneath all that fear and loneliness and anxiety, beats a warm heart full of love.  More than you or I or Anna could ever imagine.  You love so much, you would rather die than hurt me, or anyone.  And it is because of that love that I trust you.  I know Elsa will not hurt me.”

Cassandra teared up as she went a bit further and confessed, “And I love her for it.”

Elsa was now crying for a very different reason.  “You…you love…me?”

“Yes, I have for some time now,” Cassandra replied shakily.  “I was too scared to say it, but seeing you dealing with your fears…” She swallowed hard.  “You are the strongest woman I have ever met.  I can’t fathom what goes on in your mind.  But I swear, on my life *sniff* that I will be here for you as long as you want me.”

And with that, all the anxiety and fear evaporated from Elsa’s mind as a wave of pure love washed over her.  “Oh, Cassandra, I love you too.  I cannot tell you how much that means to me.”

She lifted her hand to cover her mouth, trying to steady herself before speaking any further.  Unfortunately, that hand had been holding up the bed sheet, which was now lying across her waist.  Her chest was exposed, and Cassandra was trying very hard not to stare.

“Um, Elsa?”

Once she caught the hint, Elsa withdrew her hand from Cassandra’s relaxed grip and waved it through the air, conjuring a stream of icy magic that materialized around her chest and hips in the form of underwear.

“Whoa,” Cassandra breathed.

Elsa smiled shyly at Cassandra’s reaction, her heart lifting at the sound of someone being amazed at what she was capable of.

“You know, I was scared to share my feelings with you as well,” Elsa admitted, “mainly because it is so…unconventional for a woman to love another woman.  Romantically or whatever this is.  But I did love you because you are so independent and strong and intelligent, and you have been a loyal friend.  You have stood by my side, and here you are comforting me when I needed it.  That means a lot to me.”

Cassandra smiled warmly.  “I get it.  But if I can be blunt-”

“Aren’t you always?” Elsa interjected teasingly.

Cassandra rolled her eyes and continued, “You are unconventional because of who you are.  Not your powers, but your personality.  The fact that you are a woman who chooses to love even when the world tells you that’s insane.  A woman who dares to stand in the presence of men who no doubt refuse to see you as their equal, let alone treat you as such.  And if…you prefer the company of women,” Cassandra suddenly felt unusually shy while saying this, “then…you really are unconventional.  And that’s great.  You should be proud of who you are.”

Elsa took these words to heart.  She knew she had made the right decision in hiring Cassandra as an advisor and personal security detail.  Now, she realized it had led to an unexpected relationship that was turning into something more than friendship.

“And you should never forget how beautiful you are,” Cassandra added, blushing slightly.

“Thank you,” Elsa said bashfully.  Thinking back to what happened earlier, she mentioned, “About my nakedness.”

Cassandra did not expect such a change of subject.  “Um…what about it?”

“I’ve been trying something lately…” Elsa took a deep breath, deciding this was as good a time as any to say it.  “I’ve opted for sleeping in the nude to help with my confidence, both in my body and how I see myself.  Plus, it feels a lot more comfortable.  I never expected anyone - aside from Anna - to see me like this.”

“And it will stay that way,” Cassandra responded, catching Elsa by surprise.  “You don’t have to worry about feeling embarrassed or guilty.  I won’t tell anyone.  While I stand by my past statements regarding your beauty, you should not take them as some indication that I…that I want to have sex with you.  Because I don’t.”

There was an awkward silence.  Then…

“I know.”

Elsa had known for some time that Cassandra was asexual, just like her.  It had been one of the reasons she was willing to entrust Cassandra with the responsibility of being her bodyguard.  Elsa had great difficulty trusting people, but with Cassandra she had found her ideal match.

“Well,” Cassandra started to get up, “I should probably go back to bed.”  She started making her way to the door, still broken, when she heard it.

“Stay?”

She stopped, turned around, and looked at Elsa.

“Would you stay?  With me?  If you don’t mind?”

As she studied Elsa’s face, she realized what was going on.  Elsa still needed someone to comfort her, to reassure her that the nightmares would not return.  And then it hit her that Elsa was accustomed to Anna spending the night after events like the episode that transpired earlier.

“Of course, Elsa,” Cassandra replied, retracing her steps and climbing back onto the bed.  “I assume you’ll keep the underwear.”

“I would prefer that,” Elsa admitted.  “Thank you for understanding.”

“Whatever makes you comfortable,” Cassandra stated.  She meant it.  She would not take advantage of Elsa or force her to bare herself; Cassandra respected her boundaries and was honored by her trust.

As they got comfortable, Elsa scooted over and snuggled against Cassandra.  She burrowed her head in the crook of Cassandra’s neck, wrapping one arm around her muscular frame.  Cassandra cradled Elsa’s head with one hand and brought her other to rest along her back.  Their legs would become tangled in the course of the night.  Each held the other close:  Cassandra to comfort and protect, Elsa to feel safe and warm.  Thanks to her protector, Elsa had no more nightmares for the rest of the night.  Safe in her girlfriend’s strong arms, she slept with a small smile adorning her peaceful face.


End file.
